Family farm holidays in Cornwall magical for children, toddlers and babies.
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Coombe Mill Blog
"Tales from the farmers wife" shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
Hey Duggee the Stick Badge and other stories on DVD
Win Hey Duggee DVD : the Stick Badge with Coombe Mill. A charming Cbeebies series with Duggee the Dog who runs an after school club called t... Read More
Spring chicks chirp their arrival
Spring chicks chirp into life at Coombe Mill. 3 adorable little chicks as a welcome sign of spring... Read More
Country Kids 21st April 2018
Country Kids is a blog link up for all family outdoor fun running Saturday - Wednesday. Come and join the fun and gain inspiration for enjoy... Read More
Sticker world books cover the zoo, theme park and museum. Let kids get creative designing their own advert, map or entrance to their chosen ... Read More
Port Isaac is a traditional Cornish fishing village just 25 minutes drive from Coombe Mill. It is picturesque and surrounded by countryside in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the North Coast of Cornwall, almost directly out to sea from Coombe Mill. The village is characterised by its steep narrow lanes, old whitewashed granite cottages and slate fronted Cornish houses leading down to the old harbour. It is a notable tourist attraction not least as the setting for famous TV series like Doc Martin. However while tourism is the big employer today, fishing was once a significant industry and a few fishing boats still use the port today. If you dig back further in time cargo ships came and went from Port Isaac carrying coal, stone and more from this Middle Ages until well into the 19th Century. While I was tied up at Coombe Mill waiting for guests to arrive, my niece and her family went off to explore the quaint little village armed with my camera. It is their photo adventure I’m sharing.
You can’t park down by the harbour but there are car parks up on the headland with stunning coastal views.
It’s a steep walk down but not too long or busy
Once at the bottom it is clear why you can’t park there, there isn’t even room to turn the car but it is very pretty to walk though.
All roads lead to the sea
Whichever way you walk down you will find yourself in the little harbour front. At low tide there is enough beach for a little play and it is easily accessed via the boat slipway. Space and freedom was just what was needed for these little ones and an eager puppy. Wet paws and wet wellies were inevitable but worth every minute.
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The handy slipway wall is a good chance to sort out soggy wellies, sandy hands and catch your breath.
If you are after a bite to eat or a drink there are a handful of shops, pubs and cafe’s to revive you.
After which a wonder through the town brings plenty of excitement for little ones from cottage railings to the old water pump.
A last look out to sea through the harbour walls is a must before the long trek back to the car park. A heavy trek for some and a cosy carry for others!
Apparently the car engine was hardly turning before this was the scene in the back seats.
Half an hour from drive from Port Isaac is just enough time for a power nap before the evening Coombe Mill train ride!
Tips for visiting Port Isaac
Park at the car park at the entrance to the village before driving down into the village where you can’t park or stop.
Wear sensible footwear for walking.
Have some cash for a local tipple and a treat in the town or pack some snacks and drinks in a ruck sack.
Take advantage of a play on the beach at low tide.
In summer and weekends the local fish shop sells excellent fish and seafood from the local fishing boats.
We have had great fun with Baby Annabel. She lives in Polzeath holiday lodge play room and makes best friends with the guests staying there each week. We are super excited to announce that she now has a sibling; Baby Annabell brother has come to keep her company. Our little holiday guest couldn’t have been more excited when she came out to play with Annabell and I presented her with her brother fresh out of the box. If you want to discover more about Baby Annabell Brother and be in with a chance of winning one to light up the face of a little one in your life then read on.
Baby Annabell Brother Features
Just like his sister, Baby Annabel Brother has plenty of realistic functions. He really wets his nappy, babbles, gurgles, sucks on his bottle or dummy with real sounds and mouth movement, cries real tears, burps, yawns, falls asleep and responds to touch and movement (needs fitting with 4 x AA batteries to make the sounds work). He looks super cute and just ready for a cuddle all the time.
Promotes imaginative play
The life like functions are perfect for helping life imaginative role play and encouraging the development of social skills from a young age. Our little girl quickly learned to share her new babies with her little brother, who was put in charge of Baby Annabell briefly while she tended to the needs of the brother. They had a lovely time playing on the Coombe Mill play boat with their babies and tending to all their needs. I watched on as the babies were rocked to sleep, loved and cared for, with a little adventure thrown in, just like a real baby.
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When it was time for the evening train ride of course Baby Annabell and Baby Annabell Brother joined in the fun!
Need to Know
Made by
Zapf Creation
RSP
£54.99
Suitable for
Age 3+ (there is another Baby brother with less features and moving parts for age 1+)
Available from
all good toy shops, Amazon,
For more activities, product information and to listen to the baby sounds
Win your Baby Annabell Brother with Zapf Creations and Coombe Mill
For your chance to win this delightful baby Annabell Brother and make your child’s roll play complete simply follow the instructions below. Good luck to all taking part.
For the second time this year we have been hit by snow. Nick and I were going to North Yorkshire for a Funeral last weekend and driving to beat the snow all the way up leaving the family in charge of Coombe Mill. Thankfully our guests managed to arrive on Saturday before the snow really set in but then everyone was grounded for a couple of days as the ‘Mini Beast from the East arrived. The kids were not in the least disappointed. With both colleges closed on Monday and our lane impassable, Sunday and Monday were given over to photos and fun. As I was missing all the action I asked Felix to capture a few photos for me. Having never picked up my camera before I had no idea what he would capture or if anything would be in focus, but to my delight he is actually quite a natural with the camera and I love his choice of wintry scenes. I only wish I had been there to see for myself. It may not have lasted long but we certainly saw plenty of snow again.
I was in contact everyday checking all was going smoothly with the guests and the farm and that feed runs and train rides were all running on time by them all. It sounds like they did us proud on every front, even if our own house looked like a bomb had landed when Nick and I walked in on Monday night!
The kids’ snowmen lasted till midweek and icicles clung to north facing hillsides as the temperatures refused to climb despite the sunshine that followed.
Come on spring where are you?
Photos from Felix from when the mini beast from the East came to Coombe Mill
Approach to Coombe Mill
From the tractor bridge to the farm
By the cottage gardens
From the farm fields looking back over Coombe Mill
Country Kids is the original outdoor family fun linky designed to:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the National Trust #50 things along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Plunged back into Winter
Well Spring is certainly keeping itself hidden this week. We have had plenty of fun with the ‘Mini Beast from the East and yet another snow day in Cornwall but Spring still alludes us. That said we saw a new lamb born and our first baby goat of the season on the farm. There is no stopping what nature has already put in place for spring, even if the weather isn’t cooperating! I hope you have been able to get outdoors for some family fun despite the cold. As always please join me on the link up below.
Guidelines for Joining in:
Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
Unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
Please comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
Linked posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
Thanks to all of you who joined in last week and for the comments you took time to leave, we had a week with no link dumpers so a pat on the back to you all!
Rockfish kindly sponsor Country Kids
Win a pair of wellies from Rockfish Monthly
I am delighted to have Rockfish as the sponsor for Country Kids. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish quality wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way. Keep your posts coming, it could be you winning next!
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the March Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter: Louise from Little Hearts Big Love and Emma from Crazy with Twins.
Are We Nearly There Yet packed a lot of exciting places into their second day exploring Lisbon.
Discover the beauty set in Wämöparken, Karlskrona with Mamma’s School.
Country Kids Communities
I’d love you to join me:
Pin on the Pinterest Board Just ask for an invite to pin and include Country Kids on your pins for me to stop by on your boards too.
Join the growing Country Kids Instagram Community with #CountryKidsFun.
I'll like and comment on all and share my favourites from the week with a tag on a Friday on Instagram and Twitter. With over 8600 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
We have 13 deer at Coombe Mill, 10 are native to Coombe Mill and 3 came from a city zoo in London a few years back. The Londoners as they became known have always been brave with the guests, almost too much so for wild animals, but our timid native deer remain as shy as ever. When the tractor and trailer arrives with the children each morning on the feed run the Londoners come down in anticipation of breakfast while the locals hide up in the trees, only daring to venture out when we have left and the food already eaten! I was determined to find a way round this during the cold bleak winter period. I began leaving their food in the usual place inside the field, then walking up into the trees towards the shy herd. This flushed them out and sent them running down towards the food where they would stop and feed. Thrilled with my invention I persuaded Farmer Nick to try it with the children over half term; the result was as I hoped for the deer with an added play bonus of a deer field adventure for the children.
A trek for little legs
To me it is no distance up the field, but for little legs it can be quite an expedition and it was a struggle to get everyone up before the confident Londoners ate all the grain!
The ice age brought to life
Once up in the trees it is like a scene from just after the ice age. Huge moss covered granite boulders are left where the glaciers retreated and melted, old oak trees provide a natural canopy sheltering the floor below from sun in summer and rain in winter. This is a part of the world that looks quite untouched by mankind and a perfect hiding place for the deer. It is where they will cub in summer and where they retreat from the open fields when they feel unsure. With us up in the trees the deer duly came down to feed.
Nature’s Playground
The children watched, captivated for a time, then the beauty of their surroundings took over. A deer field adventure began with boulders to climb and jump from, trees to peep through, tag to be played.
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To top it all a little rabbit sat waiting to be stroked. It one from our wildlife trail, but one of the Dad’s told the children he was a real one frozen there from the ice age, it was a freezing morning after all and it’s stone structure made this seem quite believable!
The deer had long since eaten all the grain we had put down and had snuck up past us into the top field where they watched the children at play from afar in their favourite part of the field.
Eventually we persuaded them to move on and they raced down at twice the speed they climbed up still wielding sticks scavenged from the top.
Sometimes I wonder how feeding the animals in the morning can possibly take close to two hours, then I look back on my photos and moments like this and it is easy to see where half an hour disappears on a child led feed run!
“Tales from the farmers wife” shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
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